It’s November 2018, and in Egypt’s Assasseef valley, close to Luxor, archaeologists have made an incredible discovery. The team have uncovered two sarcophagi within the depths of a tomb that’s thought to be around 3,500 years old. And after opening these stone coffins, the researchers find something astonishing: impeccably preserved remains.

Thanks to the myriad archaeological wonders that have been found there, Luxor has been dubbed the “world’s greatest open-air museum.” This description is largely down to the fact that Luxor stands upon the ruins of the ancient Egyptian city once known as Waset – which was a place of no small importance.

You see, Waset – or Thebes, as it was referred to outside the kingdom – was once Egypt’s capital. The city was at the height of its prominence during the eras known as the Middle Kingdom – spanning roughly 2050 B.C. to 1710 B.C. – and the New Kingdom, which is thought to have lasted from around 1570 B.C. to 1069 B.C.